Volunteers Guidance

Thank you for volunteering for RSECon24! Volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of the conference and enhancing the experience for all attendees. Below, you will find detailed information on what to expect, your responsibilities, and a breakdown of the various roles you may be assigned throughout the conference.

The conference has 25 volunteers of which 21 are in-person, and 4 online.

General Expectations

As a volunteer, you are expected to:

• Arrive on time for your assigned shifts and check in with the Volunteer Coordinator.
• Wear your volunteer t-shirt that is provided by the conference.
• Be friendly, approachable, and ready to assist attendees and speakers.
• Familiarise yourself with the conference schedule, venue layout, and emergency procedures.
• Adhere to the conference’s Code of Conduct at all times.
• Escalate any issues that can not be resolved immediately to the Volunteer Chair (Becky Smith) through the “RSECon24 Volunteers” WhatsApp group.

Daily Briefings

All in-person volunteers are expected to attend a briefing each day of the conference; these will take place at the close of the conference day to accommodate the different shift patterns of volunteers. The briefing will take place at the registration desk and will cover issues, rota changes, and feedback. Attendance is required and any changes to availability which may arise following the briefing should be notified via the WhatsApp group (or privately to Becky) as soon as possible. As briefings are being done the evening before, please report to Becky at least 15 minutes before your first session so we know you are here and available for your shift and can be notified of any last minute changes.

Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities

Pre-Conference Setup

Role Description: Assist in preparing the conference venue and materials before the event starts. This includes setting up signs, the cloakroom, the front desk, and session rooms.

• Put up signs and posters throughout the venue.
• Prepare the cloakroom.
• Set up the front desk with name badges and information for attendees.
• Set up rooms for conference sessions, including workshops and checking equipment.

Registration Desk

Role Description: Manage the registration of delegates, ensure health protocols are followed, and provide information and assistance to attendees as they arrive.

• Health Check
  • When delegates arrive, use the distance thermometer to check temperatures.
  • If over 38°C, ask the delegate to take a covid test and, if the test is positive, to isolate in an unused room. As per the conference Covid-19 policy, delegates who test positive for Covid-19 will not be able to continue to attend the conference in person, but can choose to continue to attend remotely from e.g. their hotel room. They will be given a pro-rated refund for the parts of the conference they were unable to attend (see policy for details). Contact the Volunteer Chair immediately through the “RSECon24 Volunteer” WhatsApp group, who will come and talk to the delegate about options. If the delegate wants to leave the venue you should let them.
  • If the temperature is normal, or the delegate has tested negative for Covid-19, proceed with registration.
• Registration
  • Locate and hand out the delegate’s name badge.
  • Provide lanyards if delegates don’t have their own (orange lanyards for those who do not want to be photographed).
  • Inform delegates about covid comfort level, conference hexagon stickers and ask them nicely to please respect the preferences of others and consider wearing a mask for one to one discussions if requested.
• Assistance
  • The most up to date program is here, please refer to this for program queries Program (oxfordabstracts.com).
  • Be the point of contact for any delegate questions or needs. Direct any unanswerable queries to the Volunteer Chair or a committee member through the “RSECon24 Volunteers” WhatsApp group.
  • The volunteer rota for the day will be posted at the registration desk, direct anyone with queries regarding volunteer assignment to it. Direct any queries which are unanswerable by the rota to the Volunteer Chair or a committee member through the “RSECon24 Volunteers” WhatsApp group.

Cloakroom

Role Description: Operate the cloakroom where delegates can leave personal items and charge devices. Ensure the security and proper tracking of items left by attendees.

• Item Check-In:
  • Receive the item
  • Give the delegate a ticket
  • Attach the corresponding ticket to the item
  • Fill out name/contact number in notebook
  • One ticket per item
  • Inform delegates that items are left at their own risk
• Item Check-Out: Receive the ticket, find the matching item and return the item.
• Reminders: Inform delegates that items are left at their own risk and not overnight as the room does not lock. There are lockers available in the shower room near to reception.
• Cloakroom will close 15 mins after the last session closes.

Floating

Role Description: Provide general support around the venue, assisting with various tasks and filling in where needed, especially at the registration desk and cloakroom.

• Be available outside of conference sessions to assist with any problems.
• Provide breaks and help to volunteers at the registration desk and cloakroom as needed.
• You will likely be needed in the cloakroom at the end of each day

In-Session Volunteers

Role Description: Support the smooth running of conference sessions by assisting speakers, session chairs and attendees, and helping manage equipment.

• Arrival: Be in the room 10 minutes before the session starts. Ensure you have your checklist and it is filled out during the session
• Introduction:
  • Where appropriate, introduce yourself to the:
    • Session chair
    • Speaker(s)
    • AV engineers from R&B Group (at least 1 in each G.xx room)
• Roles:
  • Volunteer 1: Stream & Hybrid Support
    • Monitor the volunteer comms channel for issues reported by the remote volunteer. Address minor issues (e.g., adjusting the microphone) and report major ones to the Volunteer Chair.
    • Moderate questions being asked on Canapii - Canapii Q&A moderation guide
      • Report any breaches of the Code of Conduct to the committee
      • Hide answered questions
    • Check if presenter(s) have uploaded slides, and remind them to upload the final version if needed to https://society-rse.org/links/rsecon24-uploads.
    • For sessions with breakout rooms, support the facilitators to check that their laptop and Zoom connection works with the Owl (audio and video settings).
  • Volunteer 2: In-Person Support
    • Collect and deliver any required equipment.
    • Assist the presenter with setup (slides, microphone, etc.).
    • Manage attendees entering or leaving the room. Help with seating if the session is busy.
    • Remind attendees that all questions must be asked via the Canapii Q&A platform. Assist those without technology to find someone willing to share.
    • For Workshops, Birds of a Feather sessions, and the Hackathon, let the committee know (via the Volunteer Chair) if the session is likely to overrun so that someone can prompt the presenters to wrap up.
• End of Session:
  • Support people leaving the session, helping resolve any queries which may arise.
  • Close the zoom meeting (expect for Thursday sessions which extend over a break)
  • Check and reset the room layout if it was altered (ask for assistance if required).
  • Return the completed checklist to the Volunteer Chair.

Morning Exercise Volunteers

Role Description: As a Morning Exercise Volunteer, your role is to assist attendees as they arrive for the exercise sessions at the Newcastle University Sports Centre. You will help guide participants, and support them throughout the session.

• Please arrive at the Newcastle University Sports Centre at 7:10am. Wear your volunteer t-shirt to ensure you are easily identifiable.
• Attendees will start arriving at 7:15 AM for a 7:30 AM session. Welcome them warmly and provide assistance as needed.
• Inform participants that the exercise classes are held in Studio 1 on the second floor.
• Request reception staff to allow participants through the barriers.
• Let attendees know that changing facilities are located on the ground floor. Inform them that they can bring their bags into the fitness studio if needed.
• Remain at the reception to assist any latecomers until 7:35 AM. After 7:35 AM, you are welcome to join the class yourself.
• If possible, lead the group walking back to the conference venue after the class ends.

Evening Social Activities

Role Description: Assist in organising and managing evening social events, ensuring attendees are directed appropriately and any necessary administrative tasks are handled.

• Initial Setup: Help direct attendees to venues and hand out food and drinks tokens.
• Ongoing Support: Be available to assist while participating in social activities.
• Visibility: Volunteers may still be approached for help. Refer to the volunteer rota and/or make use of the Volunteer WhatsApp group to reach out to those who are on duty.

Distributed Social

Role Description: The Distributed Social is a set of smaller social activities happening across Newcastle on Wednesday 4th September. Volunteers will help coordinate specific social activities, manage participant communication, and ensure the group enjoys a smooth and organised experience.

Before the activity

• Join the Slack channel for the activity you will attend
• Encourage discussion in the Slack channel
• Encourage booking tickets in advance, if required
• Confirm meeting location and time
• Estimate expected numbers, and communicate with the Volunteer Chair through the WhatsApp group

During the activity

• Arrive at meeting place 10 minutes early
• Wear your t-shirt so that people can identify you. People may feel anxious or shy about meeting, and we want to make everyone feel comfortable and confident to participate fully
• Be the contact point for the group
• Monitor the slack for late comers
• Be a friendly face

Although there are several activities, only 4 activities will be supported through the conference organisers. These activities are:

• Walk along Tynemouth beach with fish and chips
• Board games
• Climbing, followed by a burger nearby
• Mini-golf at the Junkyard Golf Club

Remote Volunteers

Remote Volunteers are not physically located in Newcastle, but will support the experience of people who are watching the streams remotely.

Role Description: Monitor the online conference stream for issues and ensure smooth communication between online and in-person attendees.

• Monitor the stream for issues (e.g., poor sound quality, image problems) and report them to the in-person team members through the “RSECon24 Volunteers” WhatsApp group.
• Monitor Slack channels (#helpdesk in particular) for reported issues and direct these to the appropriate in-room volunteers/Remote Chair.
• Each remote volunteer will need to keep an eye on multiple rooms, but can pick one as their main base (please work together to make sure you’re not all in one rooms), communicate with Sam if you will be unavailable
• Wednesday 10.35-10.45, take photos of the remote attendees, in the coffee chat zoom meeting. Multiple photos to ensure each screen of remote people is captured.
• Check speakers are pinned in Zoom as needed (otherwise notify sam)
• 1:1, remote volunteer in every stream for start of day Tues 11:15, Thurs 9:30